REPORT ARAB REGIONAL IMPLEMENTATION MEETING FOR THE TWENTIETH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FOLLOW-UP ON RIO+20

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1 UNITED NATIONS Distr. LIMITED E/ESCWA/SDPD/2013/ 14 June 2013 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH E Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) REPORT ARAB REGIONAL IMPLEMENTATION MEETING FOR THE TWENTIETH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FOLLOW-UP ON RIO May 2013 Dubai, United Arab Emirates Summary The Arab Regional Implementation Meeting for the Twentieth Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-20) was held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates from May 2013 and brought together representatives from Arab governments, regional and international organizations, major groups and technical experts from across the economic, social and environmental dimensions. The meeting offered a platform for deliberating and consensus building on the follow-up to the Rio+20 outcomes, identifying and discussing priorities for implementation of Rio+20 outcomes in the Arab region, and providing collective input into CSD-20 and key international processes and fora such as the high-level political forum (HLPF) for sustainable development and the process for the development of sustainable development goals (SDGs). In particular, discussions focused on the implications of the main outcomes from Rio+20 for the region, the SDGs, the green economy, the HLPF and regional and national institutions for sustainable development, as well as regional and national sustainable development initiatives. The meeting adopted a set of recommendations in the form of the Dubai Document, which will be presented to the Joint Committee on Environment and Development in the Arab Region (JCEDAR) and the Council of Arab Ministers Responsible for the Environment (CAMRE) and forwarded to the League of Arab States to distribute to the Permanent Representatives of Arab countries in New York to guide Arab negotiators in meetings related to CSD-20, the HLPF and the Open Working Group (OWG) on the SDGs.

2 Table of Contents I. Introduction... 1 II. Conclusions and Recommendations... 2 III. Summary of Discussions... 7 A. Opening Session... 8 B. Session 1: Overview of the main outcomes from Rio+20 and implications for the region... 8 C. Session 2: Sustainable Development Goals and Post D. Session 3: A green economy roadmap for the Arab region E. Session 4: Institutional framework for sustainable development F. Session 5: Arab Regional and National Initiatives for Sustainable Development G. Closing Session: Discussion of the RIM Outcome Document IV. Organisation of work A. Venue and Date B. Agenda 17 C. Participants 17 D. Evaluation 18 E. Documents and Presentations V. Annexes A. Annex A: Provisional Agenda of Arab RIM B. Annex B: Joint Statement by Major Groups on Arab RIM C. Annex C: List of Participants ii

3 I. INTRODUCTION 1. The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) organised the Arab Regional Implementation Meeting (RIM) on May 2013 in Dubai, in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the League of Arab States (LAS), and in collaboration with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Environment and Water and the Zayed International Foundation for the Environment in the United Arab Emirates. A half-day meeting of major groups was also organised on 28 May 2013 prior to the official Arab RIM. 2. The Arab RIM was organised in the context of follow-up to the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development referred to as Rio+20 which was convened in June 2012, and as part of ESCWA s mandate to lead regional implementation meetings for the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD). The meeting engaged Arab country government delegates from the economic, social and environmental spheres as well as representatives from major groups and regional and international organisations. 3. The objective of the Arab RIM was to provide a platform for: Deliberating on the main outcomes from Rio+20 and their implications for the sustainable development agenda in the Arab region; Identifying and discussing priorities for implementation as per the priorities and needs of Arab countries and the region; and Preparing an outcome document to serve as the region s collective input into CSD-20 and the HLPF and other global processes relating to sustainable development. 4. This meeting report will be submitted to CSD-20 (which includes Arab representatives from Lebanon and Saudi Arabia) later in 2013 as the contribution of the Arab region to global follow-up from Rio+20 and will help to inform ongoing processes including the HLPF and the OWG on SDGs (Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, UAE and Saudi Arabia from the Arab region are members of this Group). 5. The meeting consisted of an opening and closing session as well as five technical or substantive sessions addressing key outcomes from Rio+20 and regional and national implementation priorities for sustainable development. 6. The closing session resulted in the adoption of a set of recommendations known as the Dubai Document for the Arab Regional Implementation of Rio+20, which will be presented to JCEDAR and CAMRE and forwarded to the League of Arab States to distribute to the Permanent Representatives of Arab countries in New York to guide Arab negotiators in meetings related to CSD-20, the HLPF and the sustainable development goals (see Box 1 below). 7. A joint position statement on the Arab Regional Implementation Meeting was also finalised by major groups, stakeholders and civil society (see Annex B).

4 II. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 8. Discussions and negotiations in the final session led to a small set of general and specific recommendations relating to the main outcomes from Rio+20 and regional implementation priorities which has been reproduced in Box 1 below. Dubai document for the Arab regional implementation of Rio +20 We, the participants in the Arab Regional Implementation Meeting for the Twentieth Session of the Commission for Sustainable Development (CSD-20) - Follow-up from the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio +20) in Dubai on May 2013, representatives of Arab countries, regional and international organizations, experts, and representatives of major groups of civil society and other stakeholders *Ensure that we drive the work in the field of sustainable development in the Arab region at the national and regional levels, in order to achieve sustainable management of natural renewable and non-renewable resources in the region and in particular in the areas of energy, water, and food security, as well as elements of sustainable social and economic growth while providing a decent standard of living for our people, especially in the least developed countries; * Believe that the human being is at the centre of development and that the eradication of poverty and achieving peace and security are the major challenges faced by the Arab region, and require accelerating the integration of the three pillars of sustainable development in the context of regional and international cooperation; * Retrace the directions and commitments mentioned in the Arab Ministerial Declaration on the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development "Rio +20" especially the following items (1) emphasise the political commitment to achieve sustainable development, (2) emphasise the Rio Principles and their importance for achieving sustainable development, especially common but differentiated responsibilities, (3) continue to implement the strategies, plans and programs for sustainable development with the update of the Sustainable Development Initiative in the Arab Region and to build on the progress made in its implementation, and (4) stress the importance of effective partnerships with all groups and stakeholders in achieving sustainable development; * Recalling the decision of the General Assembly of the United Nations No. 66/288 issued on 27 July 2012, which adopted the document issued by the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development "Rio +20", entitled "The future we want"; * Specifically recalling paragraphs (1) to (4) of the first chapter of "Our common vision" of "The future we want" which includes the commitment to achieve sustainable development in all its dimensions for the benefit of present and future generations and the planet, and that the elimination of poverty, changing unsustainable consumption and production patterns, and the protection of natural resources needed for development are essential prerequisites for achieving sustainable development; * Also recalling paragraphs (6) and (8) of "Our common vision" which state that people are at the center of sustainable development, and a commitment to work with everyone in order to achieve overall steady economic growth, social development and environmental protection; and emphasize the importance of freedom, peace and security and respect for human rights, including the right to development and to a decent standard of living and the rule of law, gender equality and women's empowerment and commitment to the establishment of fair democratic societies in order to achieve development; * And we reaffirm paragraph (16) of The future we want on all the principles of the Rio Declaration and in 2

5 particular the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, and on work plans for the relevant international conferences, especially Agenda 21, the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, the "Bali" Strategic Plan to support technology and capacity building, and the commitment to the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade , "the Istanbul Programme of Action", the Monterrey Consensus and the Doha Declaration on financing for development; * Emphasizing what was stated in paragraphs (56), (57) and (58) of "The future we want," which emphasizes that each country has its own approaches and visions and tools to achieve the three dimensions of sustainable development in a balanced way, which vary depending on their circumstances and national priorities, and that green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication is one of the important tools for achieving sustainable development, and provides multiple options for policy makers and not a rigid set of rules. We stress that it should contribute to poverty eradication and employment creation and decent work for all, while maintaining ecosystems and benefitting from national and global initiatives in this area; * Recalling specifically the resolution in paragraph (84) of The future we want on the establishment of a high-level political forum to replace the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development and paragraph (85) on the identification of its responsibilities; * In the framework of the resolutions set out in paragraphs (87), (88) and (89) from The future we want on strengthening the role of the United Nations Environment Programme as the principal body concerned with the environment which determines the Global Plan of Action in this field; and in paragraphs (78), (97) and (100) emphasizing the importance of the role of the regional commissions in ensuring a balance between the three pillars of sustainable development, and support for the efforts of national and regional institutions in this area; * Recalling paragraphs (245) to (251) of The future we want on sustainable development goals, with the establishment of a transparent and inclusive intergovernmental process to develop goals that are coherent with and integrated into the United Nations development agenda beyond 2015, and that are action-oriented, concise and easy to communicate and limited in number, universally applicable to all countries, taking into account the national realities, capacities and levels of development and respecting national policies and priorities; and recognizing the membership of six (6) Arab countries in the open working group for the development of the sustainable development goals as a mechanism which allows consideration to be given to Arab states visions and their national and regional priorities for sustainable development; * And recalling the decisions of the Arab Economic and Social Summit in Riyadh on 21 to 22 January, 2013 regarding the intensification of efforts to update the Sustainable Development Initiative in the Arab Region and its action plan in light of the outcome from "Rio +20" and the 18th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and inviting Arab states to take the necessary measures to mitigate climate change and adapt to its effects; * Taking into account the progress achieved by the Arab States in the area of sustainable development and the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals, particularly in education, health and the environment. Recognizing that the Arab region is changing and that these changes must be taken into account when formulating development programmes, especially since progress varies from country to country within the region and that there are many challenges that still lie ahead particularly in the eradication of poverty and job creation, achieving the aspirations of young people and the right to development, social cohesion and women's rights, the right of access to information and knowledge, and trade liberalization; * Based on the deliberations and outcomes of the Arab Regional Implementation Meeting which was held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates in the period of May 2013; We, the Arab Regional Implementation Meeting for the Twentieth Session of the Commission for 3

6 Sustainable Development (CSD-20 ) - Follow-up from the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio +20), declare the following: (1) Work to integrate the three pillars of sustainable development in the Arab region in a balanced manner and make every effort to achieve sustainable development in accordance with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, by seeking to strengthen institutional capacity building at national and regional levels and through effective and transparent institutions, and with the participation of all segments of society at all levels. We realize that the restructuring of the institutional organization is consistent with the Rio principles and Agenda 21 is not a goal in itself but a means to achieve sustainable development, taking into account the conditions and the privacy of countries. (2) Emphasize that the Rio principles, especially common but differentiated responsibilities, are the basis of any agreements related to sustainable development, and emphasize the need to achieve the commitments contained in all the outcomes from international conferences related to sustainable development, the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade "Istanbul Programme of Action", and the Political declaration on Africa s development needs and the New Partnership for Africa's Development. (3) Emphasize the concept of the right to development for all people and groups which should be in accordance with national priorities and lead to the provision of a decent and generous standard of living for all. (4) Emphasize the importance of having a high-level political forum with a strong institutional structure under the General Assembly of the United Nations that has all the functions and powers that were vested in the Commission for Sustainable Development and perform all the functions identified by Rio+20 while providing it with all necessary resources, and shall continue to achieve sustainable development in all its aspects and at all levels, and to make decisions through negotiation and be global in nature. (5) Welcome the initiatives and national strategies in the field of green growth / green development in the Arab countries such as the United Arab Emirates strategy for green development, and other similar strategies, and take advantage of green centers to gain access to green development and benefit from the experiences and success stories in the region. (6) Call for the General Assembly to ensure a balanced representation of all parties in the membership of entities relevant to the work of the high-level political forum for sustainable development, and to ensure active participation in the work of the forum and make decisions which represent the interests of developing countries, including the Arab Group. (7) Stress that the sustainable development goals which are being developed must take into account: the balance between the three pillars of sustainable development, the Rio principles, especially the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, with the provision of the means of implementation needed to achieve them, in particular, the provision of funding for developing countries and identifying effective mechanisms to provide opportunities for knowledge and technology transfer and diffusion and capacity building. We stress that the goals be clear, measurable, and science-based and allow for the assessment of progress towards sustainable development, with a continued focus on completing the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals issued by the Millennium Declaration in (8) Affirm that the sustainable development goals which will be agreed upon should take into account capacities, policies and national priorities of the States, with due consideration given to international peace and security, poverty eradication, and the sectors of food, energy, water, transportation, the reduction of land degradation, drought and desertification, the maintenance of biodiversity, disaster reduction and emergency preparedness, and waste management which together represent the basic framework for achieving 4

7 sustainable development, and to give special attention to the development of techniques and systems for water desalination and wastewater treatment, including sanitation and re-use, to bridge the gap between water availability and its use for the purpose of development. (9) Request the developed countries to fulfill their obligations regarding the rights of developing countries stipulated in the outcomes of summits and conferences organized by the United Nations, including Agenda 21, the Millennium Development Goals, the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, the Monterrey Consensus, and the "Bali" Strategic Plan to support technology and capacity building. (10) Respect the sovereignty of nations and people over their natural resources and emphasise the removal of obstacles or obligations limiting exports or production activities that achieve sustainable development, and the importance of removing trade barriers in developed countries in the context of the global trading system, so as to ease the flow of trade, goods and services to and from developing countries in implementation of the Doha Round negotiations. (11) Urge the development of concepts related to the application of the green economy in line with the conditions, needs and national priorities for sustainable development in all countries, particularly with regard to the eradication of poverty and the adoption of appropriate policies in accordance with the social and economic development characteristics of each country, and the importance of providing funding and support for programs in developing countries in this area. (12) Emphasize the need to support and meet the challenges faced by poorer and least-developed countries with particular attention to countries in conflict or under occupation, and call for strengthening efforts to achieve peace and security in the Arab region, including an end to the occupation and the threat of aggression and interference in internal States affairs and in accordance with the resolutions of international legitimacy and on a fair basis to promote the path towards sustainable development and protection of the environment and natural resources of people under occupation and aggression, in accordance with principle 23 of the Rio Principles. (13) Emphasize the importance of the role of the regional commissions and programmes of the United Nations, including the United Nations Environment Programme / Regional Offices, in the active participation in the follow-up to the international processes launched by the "Rio +20" conference and coordination between the countries of the region, and work to ensure a balance between the three pillars of sustainable development and provision of the necessary data and information to enrich the regional discussions around sustainable development, and assist in the development and implementation of programmes. We ask the Secretary-General to provide appropriate resources for the regional commissions to support this role. (14) Appreciate the effectiveness of the existing partnership between the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), the Arab League and the United Nations Environment Programme / Regional Office for West Asia in the field of sustainable development, in order to identify common areas of development at the regional level, particularly in the area of capacity-building, the formulation of conventions, and the exchange of information on successful experiences and lessons learned, and to support the related activities of the Arab ministerial councils and regional activities for international conferences of the United Nations. (15) Emphasize the principles of Rio +20 on the importance of cooperation with civil society and stakeholders in the follow-up to the implementation of international commitments on various levels. In this context, we appreciate the cooperation between UN organizations, the League of Arab States and civil society organizations in the field of sustainable development. (16) Request the developed countries to fulfil their obligations in a timely manner to support the efforts of 5

8 developing countries to achieve sustainable development by increasing the effectiveness of their Official Development Assistance (ODA) including the debt swap for sustainable development, with a call to the international financial institutions to follow their role in supporting this work and to create effective partnerships and new initiatives to provide sources of funding for the programmes of developing countries in this area, particularly with regard to the support for scientific research aimed at developing national technologies, transfer and localization of appropriate technology, and capacity building in line with the national priorities of States. (17) Urge the international community to establish a mechanism to facilitate the transfer and localization of clean, environmentally friendly technology to developing countries, including cleaner fossil fuel and energy efficiency techniques and equipment, and helping to raise the efficiency of the use of natural resources and contribute to the achievement of sustainable development. We urge that this mechanism is concerned with all aspects related to the transfer of technology and in particular (a) identifying the needs of developing countries and appropriate technologies, (b) identifying the necessary funding sources, (c) the effective transfer of technology, and (d) the adaptation of technology and related capacity-building and maintaining property rights. (18) Call on the Secretary-General of the United Nations to request the participation of regional groups to express their opinion in the preparation of the report related to intergenerational solidarity in achieving sustainable development. In addition to the above, we recommend to the responsible authorities in the Arab countries the following: (1) Work to achieve sustainable development in the Arab region in accordance with the region s circumstances and priorities through: updating the Sustainable Development Initiative in the Arab Region and its operational plans in accordance with the priorities of the region, and work to implement Arab strategies and approved plans to meet the future challenges of sustainable development, including the Arab Strategy for Water Security in the Arab Region, the Arab Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction, the 10-Year Strategic Plan and Framework to enhance the implementation of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, the green belts project in the territories of the Arab world, regional biodiversity planning, the Muscat Action Plan for Wetlands in the Arab Countries, and the Arab Framework of Action on Climate Change. (2) Undertake an assessment and prepare a report on the progress made in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Initiative for the Arab Region. (3) Emphasize that sustainable development programmes in the Arab region target diversification of the economies of the Arab states and options to ensure poverty reduction and job creation, social justice, and environmental safety, including strengthening the capacity of sustainable productive sectors, especially in rural areas and small and medium enterprises, including encouraging youth groups in Arab societies. (4) Diversify energy sources, including new and renewable energy to achieve sustainable development in the Arab region. To ensure this, developed countries and international organizations should provide support in the areas of scientific research, transfer and diffusion of technology, and capacity building in relevant areas. (5) Give priority to programmes that target poor and marginalized groups and work to provide more basic services and infrastructure, including water supply and sanitation, health and education, taking into account the equitable distribution of resources and services, especially in light of unprecedented population growth in recent times, with due consideration given to the needs of the major groups of farmers, academics, women, children and young people, amongst others. (6) Introduce the concepts of sustainable development in the curriculum and in extra-curricular activities to raise the awareness of younger generations of the importance of achieving sustainable development, 6

9 particularly the conservation and sustainability of natural resources. (7) Support the existing trend in the Arab world for the development and establishment of information networks and data to support sustainable development decision-making processes and support and take advantage of Arab initiatives in this area that benefit decision-making, including the Abu Dhabi Environmental Data Initiative "Eye on Earth". (8) Request that ESCWA prepare a periodic follow-up report on the implementation of the outcomes of Rio +20 in Arab countries for submission to the League of Arab States for adoption. (9) Assign the League of Arab States to send this document to its Permanent Representatives of the Arab countries in New York and direct it to the Arab negotiators to guide them in meetings related to preparations for the Twentieth Session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development and the consultative meetings to prepare the sustainable development goals. (10) Present this document at the next meeting of the Council of Arab Ministers Responsible for the Environment. We, the participants in the Arab Regional Implementation Meeting for the Twentieth Session of the Commission for Sustainable Development (CSD-20) - Follow-up from the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio +20) in Dubai on May 2013, representatives of Arab states and international and regional organizations, experts and representatives from major groups, would like to thank His Excellency the Minister of Environment and Water, Dr. Rashid Ahmad bin Fahad and appreciate his sponsorship of the meeting and his honoring of the opening session. We also extend our thanks to both the Ministry of Environment and Water and the Zayed International Foundation for the Environment in the United Arab Emirates and the Dubai Police Academy, and the League of Arab States, and the United Nations Environment Programme / Regional Office of West Asia, and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, for their sincere efforts in setting technical and logistical support for the implementation of the meeting and the generous hospitality to the participants Dubai, 30 May 2013 III. SUMMARY OF DISCUSSIONS 9. The provisional agenda for the Arab RIM is included at Annex A. The meeting comprised the following sessions: Opening Ceremony: Welcome and opening statements. Session 1: Overview of the main outcomes from Rio+20 and implications for the Arab region. Session 2: Sustainable Development Goals and Post Session 3: A green economy roadmap for the Arab region. Session 4: Institutional framework for sustainable development: global, regional and national interlinkages. Session 5: Arab regional and national initiatives for sustainable development. Closing Session: Discussion of RIM outcome document and report. 10. A summary of discussions from each session follows. 11. The official meeting was preceded by a half-day meeting of major groups on the afternoon of 28 May 2013 (see joint statement of major groups at Annex B). 7

10 A. OPENING SESSION 12. The opening ceremony of the meeting comprised statements from high-level representatives of organising partner organisations and the host country. 13. The session opened with a statement by HE Dr Rashid Ahmed Bin Fahad, Minister of Environment and Water, United Arab Emirates, who welcomed participants and highlighted that a key aim for the meeting was to operationalise the commitments from Rio+20 in the Arab region. The statement also outlined the pioneering role that the UAE has played in the region in green growth and renewable energy. 14. Mr Djamel Eddine Djaballah, Director of Environment, Housing, Water Resources and Sustainable Development at the League of Arab States then outlined the Sustainable Development Initiative for the Arab Region (SDIAR) adopted by CAMRE which provides the regional framework for sustainable development in the region, and noted that the SDIAR is being updated to address Rio+20 outcomes and emerging issues and regional priorities. 15. Mr Iyad Abumoghli, Director and Regional Representative, UNEP presented sustainable development as both a responsibility and an opportunity for the region, and highlighted the importance of having an Arab regional perspective in international negotiations and processes relating to sustainable development, including the process for developing the SDGs. 16. Ms Roula Majdalani, Director, Sustainable Development and Productivity Division, ESCWA discussed the importance of reviewing regional institutions for sustainable development in the Arab region, stressing the importance of scientific cooperation, research and technology, as well as underscoring key priorities for the region in the form of water, food and energy security. 17. Finally, Mr Mohamed Ahmed Bin Fahad, Chairman of the Higher Committee of the Zayed International Foundation for the Environment and Director of the Dubai Policy Academy, welcomed the opportunity that the meeting presented to develop a roadmap for the Arab region and highlighted the importance of local and national efforts to address regional priority challenges of food, energy and water security. B. SESSION 1: OVERVIEW OF THE MAIN OUTCOMES FROM RIO+20 AND IMPLICATIONS FOR THE ARAB REGION 18. The session provided an overview of the meeting objectives and desired outcomes and explored the main outcomes from Rio+20 and their implications for the Arab region. The session provided the context for subsequent sessions which focused specifically on SDGs, green economy, the institutional framework for sustainable development, and regional/national implementation. The session comprised two expert presentations, a keynote video address from Ms Amina Mohammed, Secretary-General s Special Advisor for post-2015, and a panel and open floor discussion. The session was moderated by Mr Saad Al-Numairy, advisor the the Minister of Environment and Water, UAE. 19. Ms Roula Majdalani, ESCWA presented an overview of the meeting agenda, objectives and desired outcomes and posed a series of key questions to guide discussions during the meeting. She highlighted the global, regional and national inter-linkages for sustainable development and the importance of developing a regional roadmap for implementation of Rio+20 that addressed regional priorities and national challenges. She also underscored the need to update the SDIAR to include tangible activities relating to capacity building, technology, finance and institutional reform, and highlighted the importance of experience sharing 8

11 between Arab countries and of building upon and scaling up national success stories in the Arab region. She also highlighted that the region faces a range of interlinking environmental, social and economic challenges and that Rio+20 provided some new tools to assist governments to address these challenges in an integrated way, including the SDGs, green economy, and enhanced institutions. 20. The video message from Ms Amina Mohammed provided insights into the processes underway in the context of the post-2015 development agenda, highlighting the need to build on the MDGs through an inclusive process with sustainable development as the ultimate goal. The global agenda needs to be universal, transformative, people-centred and planet-sensitive. Key challenges in this regard included the rapid rise in energy consumption due to subsidies, increasing consumption of water and decreasing supply, and lifestyle changes leading to over consumption. National and regional consultations in the region undertaken in the context of the post-2015 agenda highlighted priorities for the region including good governance, social justice, and human dignity. She closed with a request that the Arab region make its voice heard loud and clear in global discussions. 21. Ms Anhar Hegazi, ESCWA consultant, presented an overview of the Rio+20 outcomes and implications of the Arab region, highlighting that any regional roadmap for sustainable development will need to address regional priorities including energy security, water security, food security, youth unemployment, peace and security, sustainable urban development and sustainable consumption and production. She outlined that Arab regional priorities agreed in the Arab Declaration to Rio+20 were generally taken into consideration and addressed in the Rio+20 outcome document. Green economy should be a mechanism for sustainable development, not a barrier, and Arab countries should consider how they can create effective legislative and supportive environments that can accelerate progress towards sustainable development and green economy. The importance of financing mechanisms and technology transfer were also highlighted. 22. Four panellists further informed discussions by providing insights from their experience. HE Dr Abusafieh, Minister of Environment, Palestine touched upon some key areas that need to be addressed to move the sustainable development agenda forward, including the role of education and awareness, the importance of broadening the scope of sustainable development from environmental management to encompass the three pillars, and the need to address unsustainable consumption and rejuvenate the Arab Environment Facility. Mr Rashid Al-Kuwari, Assistant Under-Secretary for Environmental Affairs, Ministry of Environment, Qatar outlined key regional conventions relating to sustainable development and emphasised the importance of enhancing engagement of the Arab region in all international fora with a united Arab regional roadmap and position. Mr Djamel Djaballah, LAS outlined regional specificities relating to war, conflict, terrorism and exploitation of financial and natural resources, and underscored the need to develop a long-term sustainable development roadmap for the region in line with regional capacities and building upon progress made over the past 10 years, as well as the need to develop intra-regional transfer of knowledge and innovation. Mr Jihad Azour, Former Finance Minister, Lebanon indicated that the region still views sustainable development as a challenge rather than an opportunity for progressing a regional agenda, underscored the need for growth and employment generation in the region and that countries should undertake scoping studies on investment opportunities for green economy in key sectors to present to Arab investors, as well as highlighting the need to reconsider financing mechanisms for sustainable development. 23. The moderated discussion that ensued consisted of interventions from Arab governments (Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Iraq, Palestine, Yemen, Lebanon, Kuwait, Tunisia, Egypt and Jordan) as well as major groups (science and technology, NGOs) that highlighted a range of issues. 24. Several countries referenced the need for the international commitments made by developed countries to be realised, including those relating to technology, finance and trade and debt relief. Others highlighted the need for a clear vision and roadmap for sustainable development in the region that moves 9

12 from the old approach of viewing developing countries as recipients of knowledge and resources, to one that builds human capacity and development as the basis for innovation, opening markets and attracting investment. The need to have a joint Arab position on key international processes was stressed, including on the HLPF, the SDGs and financing for sustainable development. With regard to regional priorities, peace and security, foreign occupation, food security, water scarcity, energy security, employment generation, desertification, climate change, and the refugee situation were all highlighted. The importance of building capacity for integrated decision making was underscored, including updating statistical data and systems and effective measurement of sustainable development objectives. The emerging importance of green economy as a tool for sustainable development was also highlighted, however concerns were expressed with regard to its definition and how it can best be applied. Other mechanisms for sustainable development in the region that were stressed included the need to update the SDIAR and strengthening the institutional framework so that it addresses all three dimensions of sustainable development in a coordinated and cohesive manner. The importance of broad participation from relevant stakeholders was also highlighted. 25. Representatives of major groups underscored the need for a paradigm shift to embrace green economy as a tool for sustainable development and the need for policies that encourage scientific research and education reform to embrace sustainable development. They also stressed need to address inequalities at different levels and ensuring accountability and engagement of civil society in policy making and in developing a roadmap for the region. C. SESSION 2: SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS AND POST The session discussed the SDGs and post-2015 agenda to identify key Arab regional messages to be communicated to relevant international processes and fora as well as key regional priorities for implementing the SDGs at the regional and national levels. The session comprised two expert presentations, a panel discussion and a plenary discussion and was moderated by Sameer Ghazi, President Deputy for Environment and Sustainable Development, Saudi Arabia. 27. Ms Michelle Obeid, University of Manchester, presented the key findings from a background paper Key Issues for Consideration on the Sustainable Development Goals and Post-2015 Agenda, highlighting the uneven progress on MDGs and the need for SDGs to build on experience to date. She highlighted key conceptual challenges relating to how best to integrate the three dimensions of sustainable development into a cohesive agenda to reach a coherent, universal platform for post The need for broad stakeholder engagement was also mentioned, and a number of regional priorities for SDGs were highlighted including peace and security, climate change, energy-food-water security, decent jobs, migration, urbanisation, and gender equality, amongst others. 28. Mr Waleed Zubari, Arabian Gulf University, highlighted some shortcomings of the MDGs; that they were formulated by donors and did not acknowledge the realities facing countries and that they addressed quantity instead of quality. He highlighted that the food-energy-water nexus should be a priority for the formulation of SDGs, along with the due consideration of quality and adequate indicators. He stressed the importance of understanding the inter-linkages and trade-offs between policy objectives, and the need for comprehensive plans for water and energy security. 29. Two expert panellists subsequently contributed to the discussions. Mr Ghassan Al Sayah, Senior Advisor to the Minister of Environment, Lebanon, highlighted several obstacles to sustainable development, including the need for political and economic stability, poverty eradication, access to clean water, and ongoing conflict in Syria and the severe strain that the escalating numbers of refugees are placing on development. Mr Kishan Khoday, UNDP Practice Leader for Energy & Environment in the Arab States, 10

13 UNDP, highlighted the need for equitable access to energy, water and food and to support vulnerable communities where climate change is compounding existing problems, the importance of effective governance for sustainable development in the region, the rising importance of green economy and southsouth cooperation in the post-mdg framework, and the need to look at the role of Arab investments in Asia and Africa with consequences for food and energy security. 30. A moderated plenary discussion ensued with interventions from Arab countries, major groups, and regional organisations. In their interventions, Arab countries highlighted a range of regional priority issues to be addressed by the SDGs, including peace and security, poverty eradication, freedom from violence, implementation of a green economy roadmap, health services, migration, foreign occupation, good governance, access to water and the energy-food-water nexus, climate change, desertification, disaster risk reduction, and biodiversity preservation. Other issues raised in the context of the SDGs included the importance of the Rio Principles especially the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, the need for ODA for developing countries, the acknowledgement that different countries have different national priorities and circumstances, addressing differences between developed and developing countries, considering the needs of future generations and the importance of inclusive consultations on the post-2015 agenda at the country level. 31. Regional UN and LAS organisations highlighted the important role of regional institutions such as CAMRE and LAS for coordinating a unified position on the SDGs, as well as the importance of embracing the three dimensions of sustainable development. 32. Representatives from major groups highlighted the need for inclusive consultations on the SDGs that engage major groups, the importance of science-based goals and evidence-based decision making, as well as the importance of education, healthcare and prevention of violence against vulnerable groups. 33. Some key messages drawn from the discussions included that Arab countries need to contribute to the development of SDGs taking into account specific challenges of the Arab region such as demographic changes, lack of stability and governance, economic and food crises, and exploitation of natural resources. The importance of a universal agenda for both developed and developing countries was also acknowledged, and that goals should be limited in number and address all three dimensions of sustainable development. D. SESSION 3: A GREEN ECONOMY ROADMAP FOR THE ARAB REGION 34. The session discussed opportunities and priorities for the transition towards a green economy in the Arab region and analysis undertaken to date, and identified how the Arab region might operationalise the transition towards a green economy at the regional and national levels. The session comprised two expert presentations, a panel discussion and a plenary discussion and was moderated by Mr Iyad Abumoghli, UNEP. 35. Introducing the session, the moderator pointed to the need to look at all sectors, not only energy, and called for a knowledge sharing institution or platform for the green economy for the region. He also mentioned the work that UNEP is doing with partners at the global level through its Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE). 36. Ms Reem Nejdawi, Chief, Productive Sectors Section, ESCWA presented that green economy was adopted a Rio+20 as an important tool for sustainable development but there is not one-size-fits-all. Some countries in the Arab region now have national initiatives on green economy or green growth, and we need to look at how we can build upon or scale up these initiatives. ESCWA has undertaken preliminary work on mapping green economy policies, institutions, programs, and preliminary indicators to monitor progress in 11

14 the Arab region, developing policy guidelines for decision-makers, and conducting a pilot project to set up green helpdesks in Oman, Lebanon and soon in Jordan. Further regional cooperation is needed to move towards green economy in the region. 37. Mr Mohammed Abdrabo, University of Alexandria, presented preliminary results from an ongoing green economy study for the Arab region that is investigating policy options for driving investment in the green economy across the key sectors of water, food and energy. The study is being coordinated by ESCWA and UNEP in response to a request by CAMRE. The study will focus on the four key sub-regions of GCC, LDCs, Maghreb and Mashreq and use a multi-criteria analysis to identify potential policy priorities for different groups. 38. Two expert panellists then provided their insights into the discussion. Mr Hussein Abaza, Advisor to the Minister of Environmental Affairs, Egypt outlined a main message that foreign support will come to the region only when it has a long-term vision. The debate should not focus on what is green economy, but rather on how to implement green economy in the region. He presented the rationale for approaching the problem from an economic perspective, as traditional environmental approaches have not worked well. He emphasized the need for coherent policies at all levels in order to address trade-offs, and the role of civil society participation and of education and environmental awareness. Also mentioned were the need for the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the World Trade Organisation to change their ways of dealing with developing countries, including addressing the issue of conditionalities and trade distortions caused by developed countries. He mentioned the need for a centre of excellence on green economy in the region, focused on the exchange of best practices. 39. Mr Khaled Irani, Former Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Jordan made a case for the adoption of the green economy based on the Jordanian example. He emphasized that governments should engage the private sector in sectors like waste management and pointed to the need for adequate regulation in renewable energy sectors, and to the fact that subsidies can be too high. He explained how Jordan has introduced eco-tourism, which has generated income streams for local communities in remote areas. 40. The open plenary discussion reflected different viewpoints from Arab countries on the green economy and the way forward. Some countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Morocco have well-advanced plans or roadmaps. The UAE roadmap will be finalised in September 2013 and focuses on reduction of gas flaring, water use efficiency and reducing carbon emissions. Jordan has identified six target areas for their green economy work which have the potential to create 51,000 new job opportunities: energy access, renewable energy, waste, agriculture, sustainable tourism and freshwater management. Morocco s priorities for green growth include increasing the production of renewable energy, recycling plastic materials, renewable energy plans, management of renewable water resources, restructuring the agricultural system, and reforming environmental taxes. 41. Other countries expressed concern that there was still no definition of green economy and that countries need to focus on their own priorities. Kuwait called for a regional meeting to discuss the definition of the green economy in the regional context, while Saudi Arabia questioned the methodology of the green economy study being coordinated by ESCWA and UNEP, in particular whether it addressed important aspects such as trade and information on costs for the region. Some countries highlighted that the green economy approach was intrinsically environmental in nature and was unlikely to produce job opportunities and address regional development challenges, wellbeing and equality. 42. Major groups underscored the relevance of green economy as a tool for the region provided that it was adapted to reflect regional and national priorities, and also highlighted the importance of new indicators for measuring progress that go beyond GDP. The importance of empowering small farmers and women was 12

15 also highlighted, including the introduction of enabling legislation and incentives to help them to shift towards the green economy. E. SESSION 4: INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GLOBAL, REGIONAL AND NATIONAL INTER-LINKAGES 43. The session provided an overview of the emerging global institutional framework for sustainable development and the global-regional-national inter-linkages, and explored opportunities for enhancing Arab regional and national institutions for sustainable development so that they better engage with international processes and better facilitate the implementation of sustainable development and integrated decision making at the regional and national levels. The session comprised three expert presentations, a panel discussion and a plenary discussion and was moderated by Ms Zahwa Kuwari, Director, Environmental Assessment and Planning Directorate, Bahrain. 44. Ma Irena Zubcevic and Mr David Le Blanc, Division for Sustainable Development, UNDESA provided an overview of the emerging international framework for sustainable development including the HLPF, SDGs, financing for sustainable development and the technology mechanism processes and highlighted the issue of linking these processes together. They outlined some of the lessons learned from the CSD at the global, regional and national levels, including the need for an effective regional platform and enhancing regional engagement, as well as the importance of inter-regional dialogue. The HLPF could provide a better platform for sharing national experiences through voluntary peer review, presentations, a database for sharing practices and lessons learned, and capacity building for preparations at the national level. Sustainable development should be strengthened as the overarching framework for the work of Regional Commissions, including fostering mainstreaming of sustainable development at the national level and engaging all relevant state and non-state actors. The HLPF should engage Regional Commissions more systematically in HLPF sessions and support interregional dialogues. 45. Ms Melanie Hutchinson, Programme Officer, UNEP provided an overview of the processes to date stemming from Rio+20 relating to environmental governance, including the strengthening and upgrading of UNEP. She outlined the importance of strengthening the science-policy interface, strengthening the regional presence of UNEP and capacity building, and that the first universal Governing Council of UNEP was held in February She also highlighted UNEP s progress in establishing an International Advisory Council for the Advancement of Justice, Governance and Law for Environmental Sustainability. She outlined that environmental sustainability will need to be addressed in the SDGs in a balanced way. She concluded that democracy, good governance and the rule of law are essential for sustainable development, inclusive economic growth, social development, environmental protection and the eradication of poverty and hunger. 46. Mr Riccardo Mesiano, First Economic Affairs Officer, ESCWA presented the findings of a background paper on institutions for sustainable development. He highlighted the global-regional-national inter-linkages within the new framework of the HLPF, and stressed that the Arab region needed to stay engaged with the international processes stemming from Rio+20, including the HLPF, SDGs process, and the financing strategy. Some key issues for governments to consider included how regional institutions can best support Rio+20 follow-up, how institutional arrangements can enhance integration of the three dimensions, and how green economy can best be applied by the region. A key gap for the region has been the allocation of sustainable development largely to environmental institutions which has limited a fully integrated approach to decision making. CAMRE and the SDIAR have provided important mechanisms at the regional level and significant progress has been made on environmental management and sustainable development, however countries should consider reviewing regional institutional arrangements so that sustainable development is addressed at the highest political level and mechanisms are in place for cross- 13